Career counseling is effective for most clients. However, some unconsciously undermine the process. Why do these clients engage in self-sabotage? How can they be understood and helped? I present a model for psychoanalytically-informed career assessment and describe how this approach can lead to useful recommendations for career counseling.

When clients project early experiences with their parents onto their counselors, this is called “transference.” Though career counselors often receive positive transferences, the opposite can sometimes occur, thwarting our best efforts to help clients progress. This article will cover how transferences can be understood, addressed and overcome.